Heavy footsteps drilled across the foggy nights calm, desperate footsteps long lost coherence as they mingled in with laboured breaths and scraps of tired feet unable to elevate high enough to clear the ground. Around another corner they bungled and through the streets of a medium sized town under the watchful eyes of a crescent moon heavy in the sky.

Quickly all around the man looked as if searching for a way out his personal maze, the stone cold building weren't offering protecting to this man as desperation sunk in its unforgiving fangs and he was moving again, ungracefully down an near by alley.

Panicking the man frantically looked about, at the roofs, down the ally, at the sky maybe hoping for divine intervention, in all directions but the one he was running in.

Through the fog a brick wall loomed, invisible from the starting end of the ally and unnoticeable to eyes blinded by fear.

Correcting his mistake of looking the wrong way the man turned to the wall in that sixth sense way when danger was unavoidable. The unlucky way to just see their fate before it hit like the man watching the rock descending upon himself or turn to see a blade protruding through their person.

With full force the man ploughed into the wall sending his world white for a brief second then the black void as his world slipped away to unconsciousness and him on his back.

Moments later a small figure added to the city's skyline just a visible silhouetted against the gloomy nocturnal backdrop. Pausing for an instant the shadow dropped down from its position, landing with one hand touching the floor in near perfect silence inches away from the prone body of the man

Drawing up to its full size the shadow looked down upon the man. Soon afterwards a second shadow came trouping down the ally, taller than the first and even in the light of the ally unmistakably female in curves and gait.

The smaller of the two shadows didn't make any movement to welcome the second as she drew up along side it and placed one hand on her hip.

"That's just gosh darn irritating now!" She complained staring at the unconscious man before carrying on "We tracked him aaall that way, ran after him and even took care to not damage him too much and a wall beats us to catching him"

The first shadow didn't reply to the whining of the woman instead walked over to the man and squatted beside him.

"Now, are you actually certain it is the right one? It would complete the night if we ended up picking up some worthless yokel"

The first shadow nodded while turning the man over onto his back and removing some handcuffs from a belt.

"..It's him" The shadow spoke in a naturally harsh male whisper while bringing the mans hands behind his back and handcuffing them together.

"Alright!" Came an outburst from the women, an arm shooting into the air in an overly melodramatic display.

"Time to go" Impassively said the male Shadow before beginning to walk away from the handcuffed man.

Meanwhile the woman stood over the man, both hands on hips and leaning forward slightly.

"He doesn't look like much to me, bet that head is going to swell up like a…erm, something."

Catching the retreating vision of her partner in the extreme of her eye, the women seemed to deflate.

"Come on, you're not telling me I have to carry this one too? Oh plu-ease, I'm only a lady after all, Jeggred"

The man identified as Jeggred stopped "I know how lady like you are. Now come along... and don't forget the bounty, Rebehk"

If Jeggred's face was visible some may said he was smirking, just a little but never the less it would been a smirk.

"I'm pooped!" cried Rebekh, flinging her arms in the air and crashing down on a bed.

The room in which the bed occupied was not a fancy room but not sparse, rather more everyday and ordinary. Two beds, a bedside table, a bedside lamp, a chair, a desk and a wardrobe. Two pictures hung on the walls, both very unspectacular paintings of birds or maybe small rats with wings, it was hard to tell with the quality of the work.

"Don't get comfortable" Said Jeggred who was occupied between checking through a few pouches on a belt and counting coins at a table.

Rebekh shot forward from her laying position to a messy incoherent sit on the bed, frowning all the way.

"Why not! I'm tired, that man wasn't light, you know? And my feet hurrrrt too" She said, trying her best to look hurt, tired, pout and sweet all at the same time. Jeggred didn't look up from his task and didn't even consider being fast with a reply but instead steadily carried on counting coins and returning a few items, such as small pebble looking things, lock pick, small vials and few other things to pouches attached to two belts. With all this done he produced a rolled up poster from a draw and threw it at Rebekh, hitting her in the head.

"OI! Hey.." Screamed Rebekh

"That could not have hurt.. read it" interrupted Jeggred

"Could given me a paper cut.." Mumbled Rebekh unfolding the poster and looking it over with a worried look. "Not again!" she said slamming herself backwards onto the bed again allowing her arms to drop loose off the side of the bed.

The poster was of a type seen around and about a lot, normally pasted on bulletin boards, walls and inside certain offices. On it their was written in big writing, wanted, full capital letters and certain to be seen all around long before anyone who took interest in it knew what it was that was wanted. It was one of those posters, which just sucked anyone in to wanting to know out of curiosity, and this one also had the addition of crude looking drawing of two people's heads. The fact that the two heads were rather crude looking renditions of Jeggred and Rebekh, both looking rather mean and aggressive as if they would cut your throat for looking at them at all most likely didn't go down too well.

"I do NOT look like that, I mean, do I look that mean and nasty?" Started Rebekh before continuing for no time of reply "but there are more zeros on this one than the last but who is it that keeps wanting us gone?"

Rebekh frowned apparently hurt by the thought that people might want her out of the way.

Jeggred stood up from his desk and wrapped two belts around his waist, certainly not for support but just to carry the pouches attached to them.

"We are a danger to some peoples pride." He finally said bewildering Rebekh who just started blankly.

Jeggred sighed "We catch people for the bounty on their heads correct?"

Rebekh nodded.

"Why is it that people get bounty's on their heads in the first place?" asked Jeggred.

"Erm, well, cos they are bad and the law wants them?" Rebekh asked right back.

"No, it is because someone with coin pays the bounty office to make their bounty legal and produce the posters. Anyone can have a bounty on their head if someone has enough coin to pay the offices fees and the bounty itself."

"Ooh, ok but why do we have a bounty on are heads? Who would do that?" replied Rebekh, still unsure if she really understood.

Jeggred crossed his arms and closed his eyes for a brief second before offering his answer.

"Some people go for bounty for the coin, others for the frill of the chase and then some for the reputation of being the best bounty hunter. The greater the challenge and greater the reputation which can be gained from collecting the bounty. It is likely that a big game bounty hunter that wishes to be the best bounty hunter sees us as a threat to themselves. It is also a possibility someone already with a bounty on his or her heads put one out on us. The glory of bring us in would attract a lot of bounty hunters wishing to make it big. Understand?"

Rebekh nodded slowly "I.. don't get it" she said turning the nod about to a shake.

Jeggred shrugged "We leave tonight, you sleep"

Rebekh raised an eyebrow "And WHERE do you think you are going?" She demanded.

Jeggred didn't reply and left the room.

"Hmfp, how mean to me, he knows I can't follow" Rebekh mumbled then shrugged, curling up to sleep for the day.

The sun shone in the sky with almost vengeance upon the period of the time it was night, almost all things dark were subjected to a huge dose of sunlight this day. The city was not a busy one, a few people moved about their business, majority of them quietly wasting no energy on such a thing as talking or moaning. Now and again a few adventurers would travel passed creating a large amount of noise, talking armour and weapon or just boasting about things they had done.

Then there were the bounty hunters. The city had always been and most likely always will be a half way city, neither a bed for crime but not one for order, people majority passed through rather than stay, this was the reason behind the amount of boarding houses, lodges, inns and over night refuges. It was this kind of traffic through the city which made it a haven for bounty hunting, if anyone wanted to get away from a bigger city or get to one they most likely passed through on the way and the cities ruling members had capitalised on this with their fees and commission. The fact was that anyone could be a bounty hunter in this city, all they needed was to pay their dues and they can be proud of the name bounty hunter but not everyone can be a good bounty hunter. Ex-soldiers seemed to get caught in the trap of getting confused with the ability to swing a sword making a bounty hunter what they are. In fact it was a lot more about survival not formation and uniform tactics, playing by the book of war wouldn't help them here and many who weren't taken out in tracking of the pray gave up the game before long. This didn't bother the bounty offices, they made money either way and laid claim to all equipment and coin owned by the bounty hunter in the event of death and many others were willing to take their place anyway.

Jeggred looked at the entire city from a vantagepoint of a church spire, squinting now and then from the onslaught of the sun in his face.

The layout of the city was very unorganised just as if it was a free-for-all build feast, have what you want where you want just pay the allocation fees. Next to an orphanage sat a wood mill, next to the wood mill an alchemist shop and next to the alchemist shop the bounty offices. Near by the offices a small ditch of water they called a river flowed the water not even sparkling in the sun almost drinking in all the light which was directed towards it.

Satisfied with the safety of his route, Jeggred departed from the spire and clambered over rooftops till he arrived at the bounty offices. The bounty offices were a dull non-inspiring building with bordered up windows most likely the result of people trying to get the bounty hunters inside before they got them or just because of penny scrimping of the city.

Jeggred slowly made his way down to terra firmer, he knew that the building had no way to enter other than the front door, bar pulling off window boards.

Jeggred dusted himself off and entered the bounty offices. Inside he was greeted with the smell of sweat, stall beer and blood as always. The entry room was rather like a waiting room, lines of men, women and beings of unknown sex or age filled its void, long dead plants sat in two corners possibly as an attempt at some point to add some colour to the dilapidated buildings interior. The cues were a bustle of activity and grumbling, people nudged each other, snarled at each other and fight were not unknown before the office started to enforce a fight fine to bounty if you were seen rucking in the offices, adding to the offices already large turn over.

Queues were known for having a beginning and end to them and the ones in the bounty office were no different. The waiting inline and bearing terrible heat and body odours were all in aid of getting to one of the four people sitting behind heavily protected hatches who job was to process bounty claims, register new bounty hunters. One danger of the job was trying to stay sane during the slow periods where all they had to look forward to was peeling paint, patchy brick work and the person next to them getting the most stars on the bounty claim commission wall chart.

At one end of the room was a door to the cells were bounty which was brought in alive was meant to be kept but it wasn't uncommon to find them laying about unconscious because of over crowding which sometimes happens with the amount of people who wanted a person brought to them alive, as to have their way with them, majority of the time involving sharp objects or a spoon.

Jeggred's entry into the room turned a few heads and started a few groups to whisper to each other but none made eye contact as Jeggred walked towards the closest hatch.

"Hey!" Grunted a largish man with a sizeable axe tied to his back and ragged clothes as Jeggred walked in front of him to get to a hatch. "You can't just cut in line like that"

"How should I be doing it then?" Asked Jeggred without turning to the man behind him.

"Err, what? I don't know" The man flustered.

"How may I help you, Jeggred" Smiled the service lady at the hatch raising her voice purposely as she addressed Jeggred.

Jeggred slid a pouch under the hatch to the lady on the other side.

"Terminate my bounty hunting license." He said.

"Yes sir, hang on a for a few moments, please." She smiled back with a venomously sweet fake smile.

"No, I have no time, just do it now, you can keep the change after the charges." Jeggred demanded.

The lady nodded

"and have a nice day" she grinned once more.

Jeggred turned away from the hatch and noted the decrease in the number of people in the office.

During the time frame of getting his licence removed their couldn't been that many people who had their business straightened out, the bounty office took on a policy of keep them waiting as long as possible as to chip away at peoples self control and temper thus getting even more coin from fines from fights.

Jeggred opened a small pouch on his belt and removed a couple of small pebble sized and looking object.

I am not stupid enough to just walk into an ambush and become bounty. Some people are such amateurs.

Reaching the door Jeggred didn't stop but carried on walking and left the bounty office.

Just as Jeggred had speculated, outside the bounty office was the answer to the mystery of the vanishing office patrons. In front of him there stood about thirteen bounty hunters in all their disarray. They ranged in size, sex and appearance. Some had swords, some bows, a few netters and surprisingly even one which looked to be armed with a Katana, a weapon rarely seen in this city.

As one of the bounty hunters stepped towards Jeggred, Jeggred threw down the pebble like objects, which upon hitting the floor exploded into a torrent of smoke, causing the surrounding crowd to hack, cough and stumble about with their newly impaired vision.

As a light wind blew the smoke free it was clear to see that during the passing time Jeggred had escaped from the bounty hunters.

Time went by and day once more gave way to night, the streets grew silent and the moonbeams played happily on a few housetops. A small but noticeable wind cannon rolled around the streets, slightly chilling all in its wake or at least causing the prepared to tighten coats around them a little tighter.

"Where are we going this time then?" Asked Rebekh as she and Jeggred walked freely through the night, appearing without worry of any waiting surprise attacks.

"We are leaving" Jeggred replied.

Rebekh stopped in her tracks, placing hands on her hips and for a second rose to her heels then back to her feet again.

"But where? Why? How long for this time? I'm bored of moving about so much, I'm tired."

Jeggred turned to Rebekh, having had stopped not long into her moan and began to talk without conveying any emotion.

"We are going to where things started. You can stay there as long as you want you don't have to follow me everywhere. We are going because travelling is not in my blood and apparently not in yours either."

Rebekh blinked, thought then nodded.

"What are we waiting for then? LETS GO!" She said before tearing off down the street towards the docks, laughing as she went.

Jeggred shook his head and looked to the stars. "Hope you are watching the things I have to put up with.." He softly spoke before shaking his head again and whispering "…but I wouldn't change them."

"Hurry up slowpoke!" Shouted a distant Rebekh, waving her arms madly while also bouncing on the spot.

Jeggred nodded and took off to catch up his wacky partner.

The call of the watch sounded the final approach to the docks of Moorgate, slowly but surly the ship crept forward, careful not to stop short but avoiding running aground then finally over the sides mooring ropes flew, tying down the ship to dock.

Down the gangplank warily passengers scurried, along with cargo but it wasn't till the light had faded away to darkness did the real activity began.

From within its hall all manner of characters emerged, no bound some avoiding the towns watch, others creatures of the night such as vampires and even perhaps stowaways taking no chances to be caught on the final step of their deceit.

Among the hustle of the crowd as well as the removal and loading of cargo walked Jeggred and Rebekh, confidently drifting through and midnight crowd and off into the city.

"Ahh, back again." Cheerfully cooed Rebekh.

Jeggred just nodded as they both carried on their stroll through the city.

"...Sure the place will be safe?" Asked Jeggred after sometime.

Rebekh nodded gleefully.

"Everything should be fine, unless someone BLEW up the whole place, I doubt anyone found it let alone break the seal on it too, after all I did put them up myself" Smugly stated Rebekh.

Jeggred nodded again.

"I will see you when I've checked in on the guild" Spoke Jeggred, his voice fading off into the distance.

Rebekh gave a small huff then smiled, flipping stray hair from her face, continuing on her way.

Gliding back a little, she crossed one of her arms and placed her elbow on top, thoughtfully tapping a finger to her check and humming various times.

"It is much easier to put one of these up than remember how to take it down" Rebekh finally said, rather calmly considering the circumstance.

After short deliberation to herself, Rebekh shrugged and gestured widely at the barrier, sending a furious storm of icicles bombarding into the barrier, each one reduced to nothing upon contact.

With a fed up huff, Rebekh's hands found her hips and she pouted at the portal ahead of her.

"Why couldn't I just used a lock, then I could…open..it with a key! That’s IT!" Delightfully said Rebekh, beginning to rummage about her person for something.

"Come on, where are you? No not there or there, oh come on this is A-N-N-O-Y-I-N-G" Rebekh mumbled getting ever frustrated and desperate to find the object she was looking for.

Rebekh's search suddenly stopped, her face turned from frustration to inquisition, pulling her hand out from within her top, Rebekh's faced then turned to a happy grin as she held up a stick, short in length in front of her, with a bevelled end.

Rebekh smirked menacingly at the portal in front of her then began to mumble some words, most likely incoherent to many apart from those educated in magic.

As Rebekh's chanting picked up speed so did a small wind about her, lifting blossom from nearby trees as well as leaves and as suddenly as the wind arrived it dissipated, largely anti-climatically.

Rebekh walked up to the portal and placed one end of the stick against it, with a dull flash of blue, it dissipated.

"Heh, take that you stupid barrier" Rebekh taunted gleefully, pulling open the skylight to enter the room, discarding the short stick via throwing it idly over her shoulder.

Rebekh hovered just off the floor of the room where she spent a lot of her time before the trip, dust was the only thing which lived in it now, grievously covering everything, books, bed, floor, rafters, table.

Around Rebekh dust was pushed to the side inside a mini vortex of the levitating Rebekh as she surveyed the room.

"Soo dusty, this will take some cleaning but everything seems ok.." Thoughtfully said Rebekh, trailing off as she neared the bed, she looked down and sighed to herself.

The spot where Rebekh stared was were Shadow vein, Jeggred's wolf, had near permanently occupied in but now only dust found a home there.

Rebekh flopped down onto the bed, causing a dust storm around her.

"Poor Shadow.." She mournfully whispered recounting the time he had pasted away in his sleep and Jeggred's reluctance, no down right refusal to bury him in the Isle's ground, stating that is didn't 'feel right.'

Rebekh had always found things like that strange about Jeggred, pertaining past his appearance, his lack of height for what he appears to be or blue eyes or build but other things perhaps not noticeable by all. The strange smell of his blood complexes her, the way he had always felt a certain way about things like the ground, smell of certain magic's, often finding this to not feel right or that smelling off, things he seemed to have affliction to but by apparent species shouldn't.

Rebekh mumbled a few words of prayer for the departed wolf, the meaning lost to her through the many years of her undead life but still knew it was well wishes for departed souls on their journey, then she sighed.

"Sure is empty without you, you old lug" weakly said Rebekh, grinning slightly.

Something in the corner of Rebekh's caught her attention, drawing closer to it Rebekh saw that poking just out of the side of Jeggred's book which he wrote a lot of research notes and recipes among other things protruded a piece of paper.

Rebekh nervously reached for the paper then drew her hang back.

I can't just take something from that book, but then again.. it might be interesting.. a love letter perhaps even?

Rebekh beamed widely at the prospects of some return of affection from Jeggred, eagerly snatching up the piece of paper from its hardback prison.

Rebekh brought the paper up to her face, eyeing it carefully, it seemed to have had better days, dog eared corners, tears and ancient fold lines but nothing could had removed the child like glee Rebekh seemed to had tapped into.

Slowly she began to unfold the piece of paper, careful to not tear or damage in manner more than it already found itself in. Rebekh nervously began glancing over to the roof entrance just in case of Jeggred's return, fidgeting on the spot out of excitement then finally it was open and Rebekh took about to reading.

Rebekh's joy diminished into confusion and she seemed to deflate as she read the piece of paper. On the paper were names, not a lot but a fair few, each one crossed out, some furiously as by someone angered, others had blood droplets dried near them, of all the names only one remained.

".. Adelard Ronga?...ADELARD RONGA!?" Rebekh squealed to herself in shock after recognition reached her brain, shaking her head muttering something to herself she flopped backwards, spread eagle on the bed.

"..What do you know of him?" asked a familiar voice from out of no where, causing Rebekh to suddenly bolt up right and quick ram the piece of paper out of view.

"Erm.. nothing at all.. it was just a song Adelard Ronga, Adelard ronga, very fast but now no longer.. heh" Rebekh nervously blabbed, sounding never unconvincing.

Jeggred came into fall view and leaned close to Rebekh, glaring at her full on. Rebekh did her best to smile whilst squirming a little uncomfortably under Jeggreds stare.

Jeggred looked down then back up at Rebekh who did the same and cringed at the sight of the piece of paper poking from between her breasts.

"Oops? How did that get there?" Rebekh said, grinning sheepishly.

Jeggred remained silent and with great speed and precision removed the offending paper from it's failed hidden spot and stepped back away from Rebekh.

"HEY!!" cried Rebekh before continuing after she realised she wasn't going to get a reply from Jeggred as he was engrossed in his piece of paper "You could given me a paper cut, I do NOT want a paper cut there, that's twice lately.. meanie!" Rebekh finished with a huff occupying herself to get comfortable on the bed, squirming and wiggling, despite the dust.

Jeggred folded away the piece of paper, placing in side a small pouch and turned to Rebekh, looking pensive.

"How do you know Adelard Ronga?" He asked, a slight anger to his voice ringing clear more due to the fact of how he had always sounded apathetic before.

Rebekh was a little hesitant in reply, unsure of what to say in light of the tone she was hearing, it seemed very odd to her, almost scary to hear him like this after all the time they had spent together.

"..hmm, well, He is a gaol warden who works in the city but a really nasty one I heard, even by the standards of gaol guards." Rebekh finished looking at Jeggred for some sort of approval or reaction.

Jeggred gave a thoughtful hum and looked at the floor in thought for a few moments, before turning back to Rebekh.

"..does he still work here?" Ask Jeggred

Rebekh nodded.

"I'm surprised he still works, he could have retired long ago." Injected Rebekh, trying to be useful.

Jeggred remained silent and then nodded, turning about and heading toward the roof entrance.

"hey.. hey wait, where are you going and what is that piece of paper anyway?"

Jeggred stopped but didn't turn to face Rebekh.

"..The paper is something to be destroyed. Along with the names upon it, I am going to sever the last string tying me to something I have had cloud me for too long." Coldly stated Jeggred and with that he left the building, left Rebekh worrying, left everything which was contained within the building, all the things collected to face something which not unlike the house had been allowed to gather dust, laying idle in time.

The city gaol, never a welcomed experience for any that found themselves within its clutches. Drab grey decor only off set by the occasional art work from inmates, sketched lines marking years rarely amount to more than a few if any at all. The smell of rising damp flooded the cells, along with putrid stale stench of death, blood, excretion and decay in general, screams of men, women and even sometimes child flowed through the halls past the ageing bars. Over zealous guardsmen or just brutes wanting to vent some frustration about their pay the players of the orchestra of pain whilst rats squeak and scatter by.

Not all found themselves in the gaol for any give period, it had sometimes needed to be used as a stop of point to other places or just for those public nuisances who needed to be held for the night to sober up or to found something to be done with.

"You got yourself some company tonight, Thief" snarled a gaol warden pushing a small person into cell occupied by someone already.

The gaol smirked, revealing a line of rotten blackened teeth within his ratty features he called a face and began to lock up the cell.

The person having almost lost his footing recovered surprising well and shuffled his way to a bench and sat down. The movement of his gait would suggest an old man, long tattered cloth covered any features but there was a slight hobble there as well as an award hunch.

"Oh.. I would also enjoy having both ya hands now, Thief. You know what will be happening tomorrow don't ya?" The warden teased the Thief a huge joyful yet grim smirked plastering his face then walked away whistling some off tune song.

The Thief looked about in slight panic rubbing a hand as in premeditating morning for it's lose.

"Hey, old man!" said the feminine voice, fear stricken and full of youth. "You ok?" she added peering about quickly.

The old man grumbled harshly under his folds of clothes, his voice seemingly strangely gravely before spitting on the floor a mixture of blood and saliva.

"..Gaol guards, bah!" He mumbled, hacking slightly.

The young female thief frowned, she wasn't tall but quiet petite, a still healing cut ran down one of her cheeks, marring what would be a near perfect complexion and beauty.

She sighed and looked down at the floor, a singled tear forming then dropping to the cold careless flagstones below.

"Yea, they did this to my face saying nothing pretty comes out of the gaol, even if it goes in. Even going to lose my right hand. Oh... by the way, I'm Kirai" She said sadly but with a slight fire of hate burning behind the words.

The old man mumbled to himself, Kirai unsure if he was paying attention or not but continued regardless, just happy to have some company which didn't wear chain mail and carrying long swords.

"Anyway, you see I kinda hit a rough spot… heh, well I saw all the rich merchants, adventurers and noble people and thought how unfair it is for them to have all that wealth and me here having to beg for even a crumb, so I started to steal from them, mostly cutting their purses away from them as they walked by. I was doing pretty well…" She said, at first slightly nervous but ending sounding proud.

"..You got caught after all" Said the old man coughing some more.

Kirai nodded.

"I got greedy, too one too many chances and my luck ran out but I don't need both my hands to thieve, dam guards." She said defiantly, before hushing herself back to a whisper in case someone was listening.

The old man chuckled to himself at the burning spirit of the thief, startling a rat causing it to bolt away from his bench.

"You should joined the Thieves guild with that attitude." He final said his laughter dyeing down.

"I was, I will, I kept forgetting.." she stammered.

The old man remained silent, slowly he got up and peered out of the tiny barred window to this cell a thoughtful hum drifting from him.

"Hey, what's up old man? Why are you here anyway?" flustered Kirai.

The old man shuffled towards the bars and peered over them carefully.

"I'm not.." he replied, the gravel from his voice seemingly replaced with a harsh indifferent whisper, age now a almost undying youth.

Before Kirai could react to the developments an ear piecing whistle rang out as if from all directions, moments later it subsided. Before the whisper had a chance to linger a deathly cold wind barrel rolled in, chilling the already cold cell and darkness enveloped the goal as one by one each of the torches were extinguished by the blast of air.

Kirai looked about in panic, uncertain of what was going on, if she would come out alive or what. Something found her arm and she found herself pulled, still confused she followed uncertain in her decision.

Kirai wasn't moved far, as soon as she had been dragged she found the force gone again. Feverishly she peered about, seeing nothing still in the darkness of the gaol, almost a new darkness had prevailed over the normal dankness the gaol held, a greater shadow.

"..Run, don't turn back. Find the guild." Whispered the harsh voice in her ear, which she had heard the old man use before this had all begun.

Nodding, the young thief set off into a sprint, quickly the darkness, which surrounded her, seemed to lift to a level which allowed her to navigate without fear of hitting a wall. Never once did she turn back, the pounding of her feet on the flagstones dying away into the distance then was no more.

Curses of the wardens rang through the air as they stumbled about in the shadow surrounding them, then suddenly it was gone, the touches on the walls one by one re lit themselves with magic.

"What the heck was that, Nobbins?" asked one warden to his partner as they patrolled the gaol for anything strange.

"Not sure, must been one of them magikal storms I 'erd 'bout." Answered Nobbins, sounding a little more intelligent than the first.

The first gaol warden stopped and frowned, looking confused

Nobbins sighed.

"Want meh to explain then?" he asked

The first gaol warden nodded.

"I 'erd that cause of all the magiks in the air cause of them darn mages that sometimes it kinda all gathers up and causes like a whirlpool or vortex of summit daft like that and messes with magikal things, like these torches here. A lot of strange stuff 'appens too when this 'appens, I mean I was looking out the window and suddenly their were all these creatures running around town, bloody mage's" Nobbins finished spitting on the floor.

The first gaol warden nodded again.

"Bleedin' mages erm, Nobbins?" he asked looked into a cell.

"yeah yeah?" replied Nobbins

"Well, didn't there ment to beh like two people in this cell?" asked the first Gaol warden staring into a cell.

Nobbins nodded and turned to the cell.

Much to Nobbins surprised the once full cell now homed only a pile of tattered cloth, even more perplexing to him was the fact that the cell door wasn't open but still locked, what ever had got the inmates out must of either been very polite with doors or they just vanished.

"…Bloody mages" muttered Nobbins, turning to carry on his rounds.

"Erm, should we tell the guv, Nobbins? NOBBINS?" The first warden cried after his partner, before jogging off to catch him up.

A shadow darted through the gaol, remaining practically unseen as it passed cell after cell, heading ever up through the long corridors of the gaol before reaching a slightly a jar door on the top floor.

Inhumanly quick the shadow entered the room, opening the door enough to get in then shutting it without a single sound.

The inside of the room was elegantly decorated, a large open fire roared under a mantle piece, but instead of the normal articles found upon a mental piece this one featured such delights as trophy from kills, a horn from a dragon, eye of a Cyclops as well as drawing of some of the most inhumane torturing techniques.

Above the fire on the wood panelled wall hung mounted heads of beasts. As well as creatures such as elves, pixie wings, ogres and which could comprise of nearly one of each of the civilised (and in some cases not so) races of Cosrin, among some not even seen before.

A large desk sat in front of the fire, at it sat a figurer, busily scribbling away, harshly cursing then writing more, at times drinking from a crystal glass near by, filled with a unknown liquid.

"…. Adelard Ronga" sounded a voice behind the figure.

Suddenly the creature addressed as Adelard Ronga bolted up straight and quickly twisted around to face the voice.

"Why can't people just leave me in peace, I have darn work to do." He bellowed before looking confused at no apparent source of the voice.

Adelard hopped down from his chair, he was short but not short for being a gnome, and his face showed age like the rings on a tree trunk. Despite his lush surrounding it didn't rub off on his mangy dress sense of battered breastplate, chain mail leggings and vest along with shin guards.

"So it has finally happened, eh? Someone has dared send someone to kill me" Gaffed Adelard.

"..Incorrect." replied the voice, a ting of hate ringing in its tone.

Adelard smirked.

"A personal vendetta then eh?" he enquired, very bemused by the situation.

"..could be said" Replied the voice closer to Adelard.

Adelard laughed, fighting back tears.

"A lot have tried, many have dreamed, don't be hurt that I don't recognising your voice, I seem to collect enemies like some do gold." Adelard retorted arrogantly, sounding proud of the facts he was stating.

"..then look." The voice said from being Adelard, still as cold and harsh as normal but the flicker of hate had grown.

Adelard turned about slowly, a perpetual smirk lined his wrinkled face and what he came to face didn't wipe the smirk from his face at all.

Looking the figure up and down Adelard laughed some more.

"Men taller than you have tried and failed to bring me down, shorty." Mocked Adelard despite the person having a fair height on him.

The figure nodded mainly to himself, reaching his head he grasped at a black mask covering his head and with a quick movement pulled it off, stuffing it into a pouch.

Adelard's smirked turned to shock then sneered as he recognised the person in front of him.

The figure brushed some snow-white hair away from his face and stared down at Adelard.

"Petty? Why, you pathetic little runt creature, how.. how dare you even live, a petty thing like you should died long ago." Adelard ranted, foaming with unbound hate.

"..Yes, you called me Petty, I even took it as a name for some time but no longer, the past had you in it but the future will know life without you. You will live your lasts fearing this 'petty creature' or rather, Jeggred, as I was named with love." Jeggred smirked, his normal apathetic tones dissolved into hatred and revelling of the moment.

Adelard snarled and rose a fist at Jeggred but instead of making contact he stumbled forward only feeling air as Jeggred passed by him effortlessly.

".age can be a blessing, yet to you it has made you weaker than you ever were, me though…." Jeggred stated intent to causing Adelard to lose all his temper.

"You are nothing, I've scrapped things off the bottom of my shoe worth more than you, you don't even deserve death by my hand." Raged Adelard, turning about.

Adelard eyes widened as a sharp pain like pins seared down one side of his face, raising a hand to the source Adelard was greeted by more pain as droplets of blood dripped to the floor below.

"..I've grown, learned and rose about my situation." Smirked Jeggred.

"Kill me if that is what you are here to do, scum." Growled Adelard

Jeggred tilted his head to one side and shrugged.

"Perhaps I could let you live knowing that you are nothing, allowing you to live in fear for the rest of your days. I do have a question, how do I get back?" Jeggred asked of Adelard.

Adelard smirked and composed himself.

"I see, you can't kill me, you need to know something I know and if I am right in believing, I am the last one alive who knows? Oh the irony. We really should gone back for Letizia, I bet she had grown into a beautiful young lady." Smirked Adelard.

Jeggred felt a sea of hatred and loathing boil up inside of him as he regarded the smug expression on Adelards face. Jeggred gritted his teeth, trying to keep in control of the years of festering pain and suffering he had accumulated inside of him.

"Imagine.. Petty, the fun we could have together now the rest have gone, just me and the lovely Letizia." Baited Adelard.

Jeggred snarled, unable to keep from lashing out at the object of hate before him, the tie to an uncertain past, a forgotten family.

With a motion of his arm, a small blade fell from out of a sleeve of his shirt, quickly and fluidly he let it fly at Adelard, impacting between the eyes.

The body of Adelard Ronga fell indignantly backwards, a startled grimace of rage was his death mask, the blade, which slew him slowly, faded away leaving no sign of a murder weapon.

Jeggred drew a deep sigh, a weight seem to had been lifted from his shoulders but in its place old wounds seem to have sprung open, like a cosmic balance had him set forever to grieve.

Annoyance at himself for losing control sped across Jeggred's mind briefly before settling back to a world of indifference.

From outside the door to the ex-wardens office came mumble of two wardens seemingly in debate about whether to bothering Adelard or just keep to blaming the 'bloody mages'.

Jeggred quickly replaced the mask he had worn to his face and darted across towards a glassless window of the office and dived out fearlessly to the starry blanket of night.

The chill of the night welcomed Jeggred and he found comfort in it after the heat of Adelards office, high above the stars patiently watched the world and down Jeggred plummeted.

Faster and faster did Jeggred fall, the tall walls of the gaol speeding past like an eternal repetitive pattern, a blur of grey. Trees, grass and cobblestones rushed up to greet Jeggred, closer and closer they grew.

Jeggred closed his eyes, he began to think about the things in life that he took comfort in, thinking about things in the past he loved, distant memories washed over him like the sea on sand. He thought about his home, his faithful Shadow Vein, the guild which taught him to survive for all them years. Jeggred recollected, even Rebekh came to mind, the time he had spent with her and how she was always willing to help, for better or worst even saving his life more than once.

All the thoughts collided and somewhere deep inside they merged into a ball, warm and pleasant, positive and bright. Jeggred then hastily imagined dragging the ball out of him self and speed it before him like a blanket.

Slowly an updraft wrapped around the plummet of Jeggred, spirits of the air slowed his fall, slower and slower then when buy feet from the ground to a complete stop.

Jeggred descended the last few feet to the ground, rotating to an upright position then touching down.

With a quick prayer to the spirits that helped him, Jeggred disappeared into the night.

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